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12 to 6 v battery switchout |
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jato 
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Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3220 |
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 Topic: 12 to 6 v battery switchoutPosted: 07 Dec 2022 at 9:12pm |
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If you added a gallon to 2 batteries, they may have been hurt. I would think the plates would not have been covered by liquid at this point. Best bet at this point would be to give them each a 2 amp trickle charge for a couple days each. Read with you multi tester the voltage, they should read 6.36 volts if fully charged. Then read it a day later, it should still read the same or close to it, within 0.05 volts.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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offgrid
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Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
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Posted: 08 Dec 2022 at 12:50am |
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Echogale, maybe try this video, see if that clears some of this up. Look particularly at the ohms and continuity sections. Checking a switch function is really a continuity check, either the switch is acting like a continuous piece of wire or its acting like two pieces of wire that are disconnected. https://youtu.be/ciyWwcKmPC4 One thing that often helps electrical newbies is to think of your electric circuits as if they are water pipes. Voltage is like water pressure, pushing electricity through the wire. Current (amps) is l the rate the electricity flows through the pipes. Resistance (ohms) is the restriction of the wire (or load device) resisting the flow of electricity - skinny wire = more resistance so less amps, just like a skinny pipe will flow less water. I suggest caution to start with when leaving your batteries on the on board converter continuously on charge. Check the water level in them frequently (like once a week frequently) until you get a good feel for how much they are consuming. Don't just connect and leave them for a month or two. When a flooded type lead acid battery is floating on charge it is continuously converting water into oxygen and hydrogen (called electrolysis). You will see small bubbles in the cells when you look. That's good because the bubbles act to keep the acid mixed with the water in the cells. Otherwise the sulfuric acid, being much heavier, settles to the bottom, eventually causing degradation to the lead plates in the battery. But too much bubbling is bad, just consumes water needlessly and risks exposing the plates. The amount of gassing (bubbling) is proportional to the amount of current being forced through the cells by the converter, and the higher the voltage setting of the converter the more current.The gassing rate is also effected by temperature (hotter = higher) and the details of the chemistry used in the battery manufacture). So it's hard to know in advance what your water consumption/gassing rate will be. What happened to me was that my WFCO converter got stuck in it's "boost" stage and set it's voltage way up around 15V. It probably will surprise no one here to know that FR hasn't necessarily selected the highest quality converter for their trailers... 15V is way too high for continuous charging and consumed my battery water rapidly. In just a few weeks I went from completely full cells to barely covered plates. Caught it in time, no harm done as long as the plates aren't exposed . So the warning is, be cautious and check water level often till you have a feel for how fast you're consuming water. Re filling new batteries with acid instead of water, that is a one time thing only. Often lead acid batteries are filled with acid at the factory, fully charged, then the acid is drained and placed in a separate container. This is called dry charging a battery and is done to increase it's initial shelf life and to improve safety during shipment There is no (well, very little) self discharge if the battery doesn't have electrolyte in it, if it it takes months before the end customer gets it installed there is no harm done. But once you fill the battery one time with acid youre done. It won't consume acid over time, just water, so if you pour in more acid later you'll just be steadily increasing the acidity beyond what the battery is designed for. And that's bad because the higher acidity will cause more internal corrosion and result in shorter battery life. So, distilled water only please! |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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hogone
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Joined: 09 Apr 2013 Location: St. Louis Online Status: Offline Posts: 1042 |
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Posted: 08 Dec 2022 at 5:46am |
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Oh, my plates were definately exposed; beyond exposed!! Will follow Jatos advice. jon
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Jon & Pam
2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
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Posted: 08 Dec 2022 at 6:47am |
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When the plates get exposed to air the sulfate that has been deposited on them from the sulfuric acid during normal discharging can harden up and become a permanent barrier, basically take the exposed part of the plates out of commission.
In that case you might see your battery voltage look ok but if you put any kind of load on the battery it dies quickly. One thing that sometimes works in that case is "desulfation". In desulfation you take the battery up to a high voltage, like around 16V, hold it there for a little then cut off the charging for awhile, then repeat. That works to mechanically cycle the plates and might possibly break the sulfate loose,freeing up more plate area. So you could try that if you have an old school battery charger that can be set to charge at a high voltage. I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope though after 3 years. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3220 |
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Posted: 08 Dec 2022 at 6:55am |
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Jon, please keep us abreast of your battery situation. Yes, as Offgrid points out, your batteries have been hurt due to the fact that the plates were exposed (for who knows how long) to air. As I think about the electric carts we had at one of our 4 golf courses we went through a fair amount of distilled water! Each 6 volt battery holds just north of 1.5 gallons of liquid. Multiply that times 6 and you find yourself transporting over 9 gallons. But that is old school. Yamaha I believe was the first cart manufacturer to come out with the 48 volt system for golf carts; using six 8 volt batteries. The 8 volt batteries (Trojan) weigh about 1-2 lbs more than their 6 volt brothers but I think the liquid capacity is about the same. Last year our oldest 12v Interstate (it was over 11 years old) was replaced with a Trojan T-1275, which is a 12v golf cart battery putting out 150aH, not light at 85 lbs, but has performed well so far with our nearly 12 year old original Interstate 12 volt. Each is run separately from the other.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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hogone
Senior Member
Joined: 09 Apr 2013 Location: St. Louis Online Status: Offline Posts: 1042 |
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Posted: 08 Dec 2022 at 8:08am |
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Will def keep everyone updated. BTW, I have 2 Duracells; SLIGC115/6V 230AH. Stay tuned. jon
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Jon & Pam
2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
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EchoGale
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Joined: 10 Mar 2019 Location: FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 461 |
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Posted: 16 Dec 2022 at 7:34am |
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Work got in my way and I didn't get pack to messing wiht the pod batteries as soon as I'd hoped. I followed Offgrid's instructions to be sure the wiring is correct and everything works as it should.
I have been checking the water level and have needed to add water a good bit more than with my old batteries so I think that likely was the problem. there is an extra wire with both positive and negative connections it's thin. I bought my rpod used and its been there all along and have assumed it was the zamp wiring and I don't use it. Wouldn't mind alternatve guesses if you have any. Heading out Sunday for a couple of weeks; thanks again for all the help.
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Julie
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
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Posted: 16 Dec 2022 at 9:15am |
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Hello Julie,
That is exactly what they are. If you are not using the Zamp connector, you can leave them disconnected.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
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Posted: 16 Dec 2022 at 12:27pm |
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+1. Better to leave them disconnected if unused, less risk of a short that way.
And yes, flooded deep cycle golf cart batteries have a higher self discharge rate and consume more water. That is the tradeoff you make for better ability to handle deep cycling compared to SLI (starter, lights, ignition) auto batteries, or dual use marine type batteries..
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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Colt
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Joined: 16 Nov 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 383 |
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Posted: 01 Jan 2023 at 1:17pm |
No. If your charger/maintainer, aka converter is good, it will switch to float charge voltage and maintain the battery. You need to check the water every month or @. |
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John
'16 R-Pod 180 |
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